Building Management Hawaii April/May 2014 - (Page 40)
Locking Down The Leaks
A road map to handling plumbing issues and water claims.
By Sue Savio
InsuranCe
M
ost condos are having plumbing
issues of some sort due to the
age of the buildings, since many were
built in the 1970s and 1980s. Many
claims are coming from the individual
water-bearing appliances that are in
each unit, such as icemakers, washing
machines, water heaters and so forth.
Other claims are coming from the
common element pipes. No matter
what's causing your water claims,
you'll need to be actively involved in
getting the leaking to stop.
We suggest a building-wide
plumbing inspection every 7 to 10
years. The AOUO common element
pipes should be cleaned out every year
or two. When an owner
is remodeling, ask to
check the pipes behind
their unit wall to see
the condition they're in.
It's cheaper to replace
pipes if you don't
have to also replace
cabinets. If you've
already done all of this
and are still having
leaks, then it's time
for the difficult and,
unfortunately, often
expensive fix.
40
April-May 2014
BMH
Individual Unit
Appliance Leaks
The easiest and least financial
strain on an association as a whole is
individual appliance leaks. The cost to
repair those appliances is borne on the
backs of the individual unit owners.
But just advising your owners that
appliances are aging and they need
to be replaced is not enough. Boards
need to hire a licensed plumber and do
a plumbing inspection. The plumber
is tasked with going into every unit
and looking at every water-bearing
appliance. Then a list of what's in need
of repair or replacement is left with
the unit owner and a copy is given
to the management firm or resident
manager. This is necessary, as each
owner should be given a deadline of
30 or 60 days to prove they repaired or
replaced their appliance. If you are in
514B and have a high-risk policy, you
have the capability of getting this done.
Common Element Leaks
But what if you did a plumbing
inspection several years ago and
your leaks are now coming from the
common element pipes? This will
be an expensive fix. Pipes may be
behind concrete walls, and for some
townhouses, they're even under the
concrete slab. It will cost
thousands of dollars if
you're a small low-rise,
and millions if you're a
high-rise.
But you have no
choice. Condos that
have done their pipes
are being forced
by their insurance
companies. A
leak a week is not
acceptable. The master
policy has to cover
the damage to the
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Building Management Hawaii April/May 2014
Editor’s Note By Stacy Pope
Hawaiiana Hits The Big Five-0
CONCRETE Restoration and Repairs: Maintaining A Strong Foundation
Concrete Spalls, Cracks And Leaks
Should You Repair Or Replace?
Restoring Exposed Aggregate Surfaces
Preserving A Historic Treasure
ELEVATOR Modernization: Are You Losing Energy?
Greening Your Elevators
Upgrading On A Budget
INSURANCE: Locking Down The Leaks
Navigating Property Insurance
COOLING TOWERS: HVAC Chemical Feed Pumps
Waikiki’s Oldest Hotel Keeps It Cool
Industry News or Movers & Shakers
On Site: Self-Management 101
Building Management Hawaii April/May 2014
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